Balanced ball valve



'Y "May v11, 1965V n.1. Mamas. 3,182,953

BALANCED BALL VALVE Filed out. so. 1961 41&9 183 10 1&9 12

. '3,182,953'. ,BALANCED BALL VALVE Robellj'l, MUIIGSI, .Chittlgo m., signor l0 Clayton Mark .&. Company, Evanston, Delaware- 6- Ill., a corporation of.:

3,182,953 .Patented May 11, 1965 against a dual diameter hanged portion 52 of the valve stem. Below the portion 52 is a stemseal 54 bearing against another and somewhat smaller'portion 56 on` the stem.

its 'prim'ary objectthefprvisionof atn'ew and improved' valve of this type'.I ,i

A further object' of the present invention is to provide a new and improved ball valve with upstream and downstream sealing means of whi'chat least the upstream seal has a tapered surface engaging anadjacent tapered surface of the body and s'o constructed and arranged that when the valve is subjected to pressure the seal moves with theball in a downstream direction whereby the tapered 'surfaces movefapart and -provide a'rpssageway for Vpressure equalieation at opposite sides offfithe upstreaml seal, fthus' to :facilitate operation of the valve. present invention is provided -In brief, the valve of the with resilient sealing means at opposite ends of the body chamber, the ball and are provided with tapered peripheral surfaces engaging complementary and adjacent tapered surfaces on end portion 66 is Yprovided with a planar endv surfacei68 which sealing means are adapted to vabut against the va-lve-body, the arrangementbeing such that when the valve is in closed` position ythe ball and upstream scalare movable downstream a slight distance, thereby to separate Vthe tapered surfaces and thus providea passageway around the upstreamvseal for pressure equalization at its opposite sides.` Y Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent'from theensuing description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, inconnection withv which reference ishadtothe accompanying drawing, in which: FIG.y lis a top planview of the" valve of the present invention shown installed in a pipe line;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal axial view through the valve with the valve in open position; and

i PIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to'FIG.

2 with the valve in closed position.

'Referring to the drawing, the valve as a whole is indicated by the reference character 10. Itis shown installed in a pipe. line includinga pipe-12 and a pipe 14 of which the latter -will be considered-an inlet pipe and the former an'out-let. Thus considered, the left end of the valve is the downstream and the right end is the upstream one.

The val-ve has union end assemblies 1 6' and 18 com-v prising the union ends 16A and 18A and the union nuts 16B and 18B-and an intermediate valve body indicated as a whole bythe reference character 20 within which is end portion 66 of the valve bodyA 20,

. ably in assembled relation.v

stern receivedfsomewhatf loosely in a groove 60 in the sage 62 in the ball 24. f

'In the open position of the valve, the bau `imi-passage 62 is aligned with a tow passage 64 in an integral the diameter of the ow passages 62 and 64 beingsubstantially-equal. The

abutted against a planar end surface of the union end 16A. The end portion 66,i s also provided with external threads 72 for cooperation withtheinternal threads on the union nut 16B. The latter has aninwardly extending -ange 74 cooperatingwithan annular external flange 76 on' the union end 16A whereby the parts are held detach- A gasketj78 is placed in a groove 80 in the planar end 68 of the integral bodyportion 66 to seal the junction between the body and union end. The union end, it should be noted, 'is provided with an internal ow passage 82` somewhat larger in diameter than the ow passage 64 in the valve body and is internally threaded for reception of pipe l2.

' The upstream end of the valvebody has an axial opening 84 of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the ballinorder that the ball maybe placed Iin the body through it when theunionen`d18 is disassembled. The upstream end of the valve is provided a spacer 86 closely seating at its outer peripheral surface 88 in `thebody opening 84.` The spacer has an internal passageway 90 correspondingin diameter to'the ow passage 62 in the ball and a planar end surface 92k abutted aganist the planar end surface 94 of theunion end 18A. -The latter has 'an external peripheral 'ange 96 engaged by the inwardly extending tlange 98 of the nut 18B when the latter has its internal threaded portion threaded onto the external thread portion 100 of the body.

The junction of the peripheral surface 88' and planar surface 92 of spacer`86 is provided with a groove 102 within which is disposed a gasket 104 having a diameter somewhat greater than the dimensions of the groove whereby when assembled as shown in FIG. 2 the gasket is compressed against the peripheral surface 88 of the body, the planar surface 94 of the union and against the located a chamber 22 rotatably receiving a movable valve Q element or ball 24 adapted 'to'be turned by means of 'a handle 26and valve stem 28. This construction of the valve with union ends at both. ends and other structural features are disclosed and claimed in my contemporane- `ously, filed application Serial No. 148,644. Within thechamber 22 are the opposed seals 30 and 32, constructed and arranged in' accordance with'th present invention, as will be described hereinafter. f

The stem includes a polygonal portion 34to which the v handle 26 is secured as' by a lock nut 36. Also secured to thestem may be a position determining stop plate 38 'having extensions 40 and 42 engageable witha stop pin 44 'mounted on the body. The arrangement is such that the `ball 24 is movable 90 between the open position shown in FIG. 2*'and the closed position of FIG. 3. The valve stem is held in position by a nut 46 having external threads received in an internally threaded portion of an outward-ly extending boss 48. The lower end of the nut .bears against the end of a thrust washer 50 in turn bearing neoprene or the like.

spacer groove walls whereby leakage in a plurality of directions -is prevented by the seal. "Generally, the manufacturing tolerances should be such that the union end' 4and spacer always' abut. i

In accordance with the present invention, the seals 30 and 32 areconstructed with peripheral tapered surfaces 30A and 32A adjacent to'complementary tapered surfaces and 112 on the integral V.body portion 66 and spacer respectively. The tapered surfaces diverge outwardly and toward the axis of rotation of ball' 24. The seals also have ball engaging surfaces 30B and 32B and planar body engaging surfaces 30C and 3213,` respectively, which engage planar portions of the integral body .portion 66 and spacer 86, respectively. With the valve in open position, the ball is held effectively centered and sealed by the seals 30 and 32, as illustrated in FIG. 2, which are made of some suitable resilient materia-l such as Teflon, i `Under pressure, the ball is moved from the upstream to the downstreamv side, as illustrated in FIG. 3. When this occurs, the seal 30 is compressed somewhat andthe seal 32 is moved downstream with the ball thereby to open anl annular passageway 114 around what might be considered the outside of the seal. The result is equalization of pressure around the seal whereby closing of the valve is facilitated, The flow through the .valve can be in the opposite direction, in which event .seal 32 would be compressed and seal 32 would move' described in connection with the details of a particular' 1embodimenh'it. should be understood that such details are "not intended to be limitative of the vinvention except insofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed'as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent-of the United States is:

1. A valve, including in combination, a body having aligned ow passages, a rotatable ball valve element having a ow passage aligned with those in the body in open yposition and rotatable about an axis and movable down- :stream of the body in flow stopping position, a pair of `lspaced resilient seals for said ball each comprising a first surface engageable with the ball and surrounding the laligned ow passages in open position and a second and peripheral surface .that is tapered in a direction diverging outwardly and toward the axis of rotation of the ball `valve element, -and said body having complementary tapered surfaces adjacent the tapered surfaces ofthe seals, the said tapered surfaces on the seal and body being `in contact when the ball is. inlopen ow permitting position fand those on the upstream slide. separating when the ball xis moved downstream by pressure against it in flow stoplping position, whereby the separated surfaces provide an sannular passage around.. the seal to equalize pressures at opposite sides of the upstream seal.

2. valve. including 'in combinationV-albodylhuvng flow passage, `a rotatable ball va'lvewelement'having a flow passage aligned 4with (harn-the bodywin'jopen position and rotatable` about an axis nandfmbvable downstream of the body in tlowk stoppingiiposi'tion,aseal'for atleast Athe upstream side of said ballfwmpri'sin'gfadirst surface vengageablegwith the yfball and 'surrounding the aligned tlow passages in 'open position', 'said 'sel'havinga-4 second and peripheral .surface thatfisrtapered .in *a/directon diverging outwardlyandtoward the -axis csf-rotation of the ball valve element, and said bodyhaving afcomplementary ltapered surfacexadiacentthe tapered surface of the .sealf, the said taperedVv sufaeesfonthe sealI being in contact lwhen the bllfis'in opertfllow permitting posi- `tionfand separating'whenLthe ball is'm'ov'eddowsteam by pressure 1against it v` in flow'. stoppingpostton, whereby 'the separated .surfaces provide-an annular passage around the seal to equalize pressuresv at opposite'sidesof the seal. 3. A valve as' claimed in claim yl' in' wl'riehsaid seals have planar radialy endy surfaces and.the'body haspla'nar radial surfaces that are in engagementin tl'xefopenv position of the valve and wherein-the upstreaml seal and' body .planar surfaces are separated'- when-the ball -ismoved downstream'by the pressure against it in 'owl stopping position.

, wenn cues ity-n UNITED STATES PATENTS 34,096,136 1/'63- nos: -.-'fzsI-ars x IsAooR WEIL, rrrntary Examiner. i WILLIAM F. o'nEA, Examiner. 

2. A VALVE, INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A BODY HAVING FLOW PASSAGE, A ROTATABLE BALL VALVE ELEMENT HAVING A FLOW PASSAGE ALIGNED WITH THAT IN THE BODY IN OPEN POSITION AND ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS AND MOVABLE DOWNSTREAM OF THE BODY IN FLOW STOPPING POSITION, A SEAL FOR AT LEAST THE UPSTREAM SIDE OF SAID BALL COMPRISING A FIRST SURFACE ENGAGEABLE WITH THE BALL AND SURROUNDING THE ALIGNED FLOW PASSAGES IN OPEN POSITION, SAID SEAL HAVING A SECOND AND PERIPHERAL SURFACE THAT IS TAPERED IN A DIRECTION DIVERGING OUTWARDLY AND TOWARD THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE BALL VALVE ELEMENT, AND SAID BODY HAVING A COMPLEMENTARY TAPERED SURFACE ADJACENT THE TAPERED SURFACE OF THE SEAL, THE SAID TAPERED SURFACES ON THE SEAL AND BODY BEING IN CONTACT WHEN THE BALL IS IN OPEN FLOW PERMITTING POSITION AND SEPARATING WHEN THE BALL IS MOVED DOWNSTREAM BY PRESSURE AGAINST IT IN FLOW STOPPING POSITION, WHEREBY THE SEPARATE SURFACES PROVIDE AN ANNULAR PASSAGE AROUND THE SEAL TO EQUALIZE PRESSURES AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SEAL. 